Daddy's Little Valentine
by HeartGrenade20
Summary: Hiccup's five year old daughter Valentine is heartbroken that her dad is gone so much due to many responsibilities as Berk's chief. Last year Hiccup missed Valentine's 5th birthday and she is afraid that he is going to miss her 6th birthday as well. Distressed, Valentine turns to the two things that have always brought her comfort in her father's absence.
1. Chapter 1

Five year old Valentine lay in her bead listening to her mom's footsteps as she moved around downstairs. It was late and no matter what position Val laid in, she couldn't get comfortable, so she lay awake staring at the ceiling.

Valentine sighed and rolled over on her side. She missed her dad. Her mom had told her many times that being chief was hard and that he needed to be gone a lot, but that didn't change the fact that Valentine wanted him to come home.

Tears brimmed her big green eyes and started trickling down her face.

"Daddy, where are you?" she whispered to no one. Slowly she sat up and stared at the picture her dad had drawn for her. It was a picture of her playing and splashing Toothless with water.

Suddenly she wanted her mom. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

Valentine slipped out from under her blankets and started to walk towards her bedroom door.

Astrid turned at the sound of small bare feet tiptoeing behind her. "Val, what are you doing downstairs?" She put down the cup of water she was drinking and walked over to her daughter.

Valentine started crying. "I want daddy! I miss him so much mommy!" she wrapped her small arms around her mom's waist and pressed her face into her stomach.

Astrid put her arms around her little girl and held her tight. "I know sweetie, I miss him too." As she felt Valentine's little body shaking with sobs she felt her own emotions close to the surface. She hated seeing her daughter so sad.

Valentine pulled away and wiped her eyes. "Is he ever coming home mommy?"

Astrid looked at her. Val was a small version of Hiccup - same brown hair with a hint of red and the same expressive green eyes.

The young mother brushed Val's hair out of her eyes. "Yes honey, he will come home."

Valentine's bottom lip started to quiver. "But when, mommy, when?" she started to cry again. "Has he forgotten me?"

Astrid was shocked. "No Val, daddy hasn't forgotten you. I'm sure he thinks about you every day." She reached down and dried off Valentine's small face.

The five year old put her arms around her mom's neck. "How do you know he thinks about me every day?"

"I just know he does. He loves you more than anything, Val. He would never forget you." Astrid grabbed Valentine's tiny hand and pulled her gently over to the table. "Do want anything to drink?"

"Milk, please." She sat down and clasped her hands in her lap. "Do you think daddy will be home for my birthday"?

Astrid poured some yak milk into a cup and put it in front of Valentine. She sat down next to her daughter as she drank. "Your birthday is tomorrow and I don't know if he will be back in time."

Val put her milk down and stuck her bottom lip out. "But I want daddy to be here! He missed my birthday LAST year! I don't want him to miss two!"

"I don't think he wants to miss your birthday either honey but he's so busy I don't think he can make it." Astrid scooped Valentine into her arms and watched her yawn. "Let's go back to bed. You need your sleep."

Val yawned again. "But I'm not tired!"

Astrid tapped Val's nose playfully. "Yes you are. You keep yawning."

Valentine squirmed. "No! I want to stay awake until daddy comes home!"

"Valentine, if you fall asleep it will feel like daddy will come home faster."

Val stopped squirming. "Really?" she opened her emerald green eyes wide and looked into her mother's sea blue eyes.

Astrid smiled and nodded her head. "Yes Princess."

Val smiled and relaxed. Princess was Hiccup's nickname for her and whenever her mom or her dad called her that she seemed to calm down.

Astrid laid Valentine in her bed and pulled the covers up. "I love you Val." She leaned over and kissed Val's forehead.

As Astrid was leaving she heard Valentine's little voice. "Mommy, will you sing me a bedtime song?"

Astrid stopped and went back to Val's bed. "Okay. Is there a song you want?"

Val thought for a moment. "I want the one about the moon and the girl."

Val's mom smiled. "Okay." She took a deep breath and started to sing.

"In the shadow of the moon,  
She danced in the starlight  
Whispering a haunting tune  
To the night...  
Velvet skirts spun 'round and 'round  
Fire in her stare  
In the woods without a sound  
No one cared...  
Through the darkened fields entranced,  
Music made her poor heart dance,  
Thinking of a lost romance...  
Long ago...  
Feeling lonely, feeling sad,  
She cried in the moonlight.  
Driven by a world gone mad  
She took flight...  
"Feel no sorrow, feel no pain,  
Feel no hurt, there's nothing gained...  
Only love will then remain,"  
She would say.  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...

Through the darkened fields entranced,  
Music made her poor heart dance,  
Thinking of a lost romance...  
Long ago...

Somewhere just beyond the mist  
Spirits were seen flying  
As the lightning led her way  
Through the dark...

In the shadow of the moon,  
She danced in the starlight  
Whispering a haunting tune  
To the night...

Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon...  
Shadow of the Moon..."

Astrid leaned down and kissed Val. "I love you sweet heart."

"I love you too mommy." With those last words Val finally slipped into a peaceful sleep. Music made up a huge part of Valentine's little world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, sorry it too me so long to update! I have been so busy I haven't had time to work on this.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter 2!**

* * *

Valentine's eyes flew open. Today was her birthday and she planned to start early.

She leaped out of bed and stumbled down the stairs.

Astrid was downstairs making breakfast when Valentine planted a hug on her causing her to almost fall over.

"Mommy! Today is my birthday! I'm going to be six!" Val held up ten fingers.

Astrid smiled and pushed down four of them. "That's better."

Val studied her hands for a moment more. "Okay." She held up her hands again. "I'm going to be this many years old!" She tapped the top of each of her fingers. "1…2…3…4…5… **6**! I am six!"

Astrid laughed. "Come have breakfast. You have a big day ahead of you and you need energy."

Valentine slid into a seat and did her best to peek at her mom. Astrid turned around to see her daughter's eyes barely above the table.

She couldn't help but laugh again. "Let me go get you something to sit on." She walked over to a shelf and pulled out a big book.

Astrid went back over to where Val was sitting. "Okay, stand up." Val obediently slid off the chair and her mom put the book in her place.

Astrid picked up Valentine and placed her back on the chair. "There you go." She patted Valentine's head and put breakfast on the table.

Val grabbed a piece of bread and held it up to her mother. "Can I have raspberry jam?"

"Of course, sweetie." Astrid took the bread, put some jam on it and handed it back to Val. "There you go Princess."

Val took a big bite. "mmmm…yummy." Valentine grabbed her milk and chugged it down, spilling some on herself in the process. "Oops. Mommy I need a napkin."

By the time they were done with breakfast, Val was covered in sticky jam and soaked with milk. Astrid gave up trying to get it all off her so she sent Valentine up to her room to change.

Valentine searched her trunk of clothes for the perfect outfit, going through every last dress.

Finally she settled on a light blue strapless dress with a little belt. She slipped it on and went downstairs to ask her mom for help with the belt.

"Very cute." Astrid crouched down in front Val and tightened the belt around her tiny waist. "Do you want me to braid your hair?"

"Yes, please!" Valentine turned her back towards her mom. "Can you put pretty ribbons in my hair too?"

Astrid got up and found some blue ribbons to match Val's dress then she came back and crouched behind her daughter. "Do you want the braid behind your back or over your shoulder?"

Valentine thought for a moment. "Over my shoulder, please."

"Okay…"Astrid turned her daughter to the side. "There."

Valentine blabbered on and on while her mom did her hair. She went on and on about the ribbons, her party, her friends, should she eat her cake then get the gifts or get her gifts _then_ eat the cake? What shoes should she wear? The black boots with the blue leggings or the blue boots with the black leggings?

When Astrid was done Val jumped around the room, happily making her braid bounce. "It's so pretty mommy!" suddenly she stopped "Do you think daddy would like my braid?

Astrid nodded. "Yes honey, but I think he would tell you he loves you most of all."

Valentine grinned. "Can I go find my friends? I want to show them my hair do."

"Sure, but don't go too far from the house. You have to wait until I'm out there to keep an eye on you."

Val yanked open the door and bounced outside.

The first person she saw was her best friend Asta. "Asta! Look at my braid!"

Asta gasped in delight. "It's so pretty! Did your mommy do that?"

Val grinned proudly. "Yes she did." She stopped grinning and looked around. "Do you know where Tyra is?"

Asta smiled slyly. "Yes, she is making your present." Then she leaned over and whispered in Valentine's ear, _"But I can't tell you what it is."_

Val matched Asta's sly grin and put her hands over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Suddenly Asta perked up at the sound of footsteps behind her. She turned around to see Valentine's mom.

"Hey Asta, how are you?" Astrid crouched down to Asta's height and wiped some dirt off her cheek.

Asta used both hands to brush her curly blond hair out of her face. "Great! I can't wait for Valentine's party! I have been thinking and thinking about what to get her and I think I found the perfect gift!" Then she put her hands on her hips and looked off to the side, still staring at Val and Astrid through the corner of her eyes. "But I can't tell you what it is." Suddenly she started giggling. Val started laughing too.

Astrid laughed. "Do you girls want to come help me decorate the Great Hall for the party?"

"YES!" both girls cried in unison.

"Okay girls, do you want to paint these shields to make them look pretty?" Astrid asked.

Both girls nodded eagerly and they ran to get some jars of paint.

Astrid put the shields on the floor. "Now Val, I don't want you ruining your dress so I want you to put this on." she handed Valentine and Asta two of Hiccup's old shirts.

The girls slipped them on and started talking about what they wanted to put on their shields.

Astrid smiled. She grabbed some ribbons and started nailing them above the table where she planned on having everyone sit.

Every once in a while she would hear Valentine and Asta giggle about what they had painted on their shield: Flowers, butterflies, polka dots, stripes, footprints, hand prints and rainbows.

By the time they were done decorating, Asta and Valentine's hands, faces and feet were covered in paint.

"Good thing you wore these." Astrid held up Hiccup's shirts which were now covered in paint just like the girls who wore them. "Why don't we go get you cleaned up?"

Val studied her arms and legs. "But I want to be colorful for my party!"

Astrid placed her hand on Valentine's head. "Sweet heart, there are plenty of other ways to make you colorful."

Val thought for a moment. "Are you sure?"

Astrid nodded. "Yes and cleaner ways to do it."

Asta clapped her hands together and bounced on her toes. "Ooh! Can I be colorful too?"

"Yes, you can both be colorful." Astrid smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Astrid watched Valentine play with her friends as they ran around laughing and racing each other up and down the Great Hall steps.

Valentine appeared to be the "game organizer." They started out with some foot races, then they played hide and seek, then that game turned into racing each other up and down the steps and Valentine had been the one to change the games.

Suddenly Val turned around. "Do you want to play tag?"

Calista grinned. "YES! I am really fast. Can I be 'it'?"

Valentine grinned. "Sure! But you have to count to ten so we can all get away."

Val, Tyra, Daffodil, Kaia and Faith ran in different directions while Calista counted to ten.

Astrid smiled as the game unfolded. She couldn't help but laugh whenever Valentine was tagged. Val would stick her bottom lip out and try not laugh while she stood there, then she would start chasing her friends around.

Val's mom sighed. She wished Hiccup could be here to see his daughter. Val was growing up so fast and she needed her father to be there for her.

Suddenly Valentine stopped in her tracks and glanced over at her mom. "Mommy, are you okay?"

It hadn't occurred to Astrid that she had been crying until that moment.

Astrid dried her eyes and forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm okay. It's just…dust."

Val raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Alright. If you say so, mommy."

Valentine went back to chasing her friends, but as she did she turned just enough to cast a concerned look at her mom. Astrid smiled and waved. Val wasn't fooled even a little. Her mom was upset about something and that worried her.

It wasn't long before everyone was too tired to play anymore, so they just lay on the ground gazing at the sky.

Astrid squinted her eyes at the setting sun. It had just begun to disappear over the horizon.

She stood up and beckoned to Valentine and her friends. "Girls, it's time for gifts!"

They all ran up the steps and into the Great Hall chattering and squealing excitedly.

When everyone was seated with their gifts Astrid asked Asta to go first.

"I made you a necklace with a purple seashell on it."

Tyra gave Val a little wooden sculpture of an axe, Daffodil gave her a small golden ring, Kaia gave her a drawing of a bird, Faith gave her a small silver goblet and Calista gave her a geode.

Valentine looked at her gifts. "Thank you guys! I love all of these gifts." She got up and walked around giving all her friends hugs.

Then Faith smiled. "Are you going to make a birthday wish?"

Daffodil perked up. "Yeah! You should make a wish!"

"Okay!" Valentine ran back to her seat and thought for a moment. "I wish that daddy was here for my birthday."

"Wish granted."

Val spun around to see who had said that. She saw Hiccup standing by the doors of the Great Hall smiling at her.

"DADDY!" Valentine leaped out of her chair and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her towards her dad.

Hiccup scooped her up and held her close. "I missed you Valentine."

Val gazed into her father's emerald green eyes. "I missed you too daddy! I was so worried that you were going to miss my birthday again but you came!" then Val tilled her head to side just a little. "Mommy said you thought about me every while you were gone. Is that true?"

Hiccup smiled. "Yes. There wasn't a moment that went by that I didn't think about you."

Valentine smiled sheepishly and started biting her nails. "Um…did you get me something for my birthday daddy?"

"Of course I did." He held up a necklace with diamond beads and gold and silver charm. "I thought you might like this."

Val took the necklace and beamed at her father. "It's so pretty daddy! Thank you!"

Hiccup smiled warmly at Astrid who was still standing by the table. Her face was streaked with tears and her hand covered her mouth which was wide open with shock.

Hiccup shifted Valentine over to one arm and held his other arm out to his wife. Astrid quickly ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck.

Hiccup put Valentine down to hug Astrid. All of Val's friends ran over to her and Asta wrapped her in a hug. "Your wish came true!"

Val smiled then she noticed something behind Asta. There by the table was a auburn haired girl, who was clearly several years older, that she had never seen before. When the girl saw Valentine looking at her, she smiled and started walking towards the door.

Val watched the mysterious girl give her a thumbs up and then slip outside. Valentine broke away from her friends and tugged open the door. She looked around, but she didn't see anything. Confused, Val slowly closed the door.

Everyone was looking at Valentine with questioning eyes. Tyra ran over to her. "What did you see? What were you looking at?"

Val shook her head. "I think I saw a girl."

Valentine shook her head again thinking it was nothing and returned to Hiccup. "Thank you for coming daddy!" He picked up his daughter and hugged her again. "Happy birthday Princess."

Val put her chin on her dad's shoulder and looked out the window behind him. She saw the girl smiling at her from outside. The girl blew her a kiss then turned and started running, disappearing into the night.


End file.
